# Two-spotted Lady Beetle (*Adalia bipunctata*) The Two-spotted Lady Beetle is a small, round bug with two black spots on its red back. These friendly beetles help gardens by eating pesky aphids and other tiny bugs. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 7 - **Habitat:** Gardens ![Two-spotted Lady Beetle](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Adalia_bipunctata_%282007-04-08%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Entomart, Attribution · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Adalia_bipunctata_%282007-04-08%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Two-spotted Lady Beetle is a small, domed insect, typically bright red or orange with two prominent black spots on its wing covers. Its head and thorax are black with white markings, distinguishing it from many multi-spotted or solid-colored lady beetles. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Coleoptera - **Family:** Coccinellidae - **Genus:** Adalia ## Interesting facts - Some Two-spotted Lady Beetles are entirely black with two red spots! - The number of spots doesn't tell you how old a lady beetle is. - Their larvae look like tiny, spiky, black and orange crocodiles! - They use their antennae to smell for food and find other lady beetles. ## Special abilities - **Chemical Shield:** Two-spotted Lady Beetle can ooze foul-smelling yellow liquid from its leg joints that helps them deter predators. - **Aphid Muncher:** Two-spotted Lady Beetle can devour many garden pests because of its strong mandibles that helps them keep plants healthy. - **Winged Wanderer:** Two-spotted Lady Beetle has a pair of hidden wings that helps them find new food sources and avoid danger. - **Winter Sleeper:** Two-spotted Lady Beetle can survive cold winters because of its dormant state that helps them avoid freezing. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 10-14 mm - **Size:** 3.5-5.5 mm - **Lifespan:** 30-365 days - **Flight Speed:** 8 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding These beetles are insect predators, feasting mainly on soft-bodied plant pests like aphids. - **Age differences:** Larvae and adults both eat the same types of pests, making them helpful at all life stages. - **Primary Foods:** aphids, scale insects, mealybugs, spider mites, other small soft-bodied insects - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Cotton Aphid (*Aphis gossypii*) — Primary food source for all active stages. - **Hunts:** Green Peach Aphid (*Myzus persicae*) — Controls populations of this common agricultural pest. - **Eaten by:** [Great Tit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-tit) (*Parus major*) — Birds are common predators of larvae and adults. - **Hunts:** Common Green Lacewing (*Chrysoperla carnea*) — Larvae sometimes eat lacewing larvae in scarce conditions. ## Traits - [Spotted](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spotted): Marked with spots or patches of a different color. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Lady beetles are safe to touch, but it's best to observe them gently. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Two-spotted Lady Beetle? Look for hard wing covers meeting in a line down the back, then compare the antennae, body shape, legs and markings. Metallic colors shift a lot with lighting. Beetle Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Two-spotted Lady Beetle's wingspan? 10-14 mm ### How big is Two-spotted Lady Beetle? 3.5-5.5 mm ### How long does Two-spotted Lady Beetle live? 30-365 days ### How fast can Two-spotted Lady Beetle fly? 8 km/h ### What does Two-spotted Lady Beetle eat? These beetles are insect predators, feasting mainly on soft-bodied plant pests like aphids. ### Where is Two-spotted Lady Beetle usually found? Gardens ### How does Two-spotted Lady Beetle hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Chestnut Street District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chestnut-street-district) — Massachusetts, US · Historic District - [Scoville Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/scoville-park) — Illinois, US · Park - [New York Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/new-york-aquarium-new-york) — New York, US · Aquarium - [Betty Ford Alpine Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/betty-ford-alpine-gardens) — Colorado, US · Botanical Garden - [Cato Hill Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cato-hill-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [Chadron Commercial Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chadron-commercial-historic-district) — Nebraska, US · Historic District [View all places to see Two-spotted Lady Beetle](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/two-spotted-lady-beetle) ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Two-spotted Lady Beetle: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/two-spotted-lady-beetle)